The TravMedia Summit

Jaclynn (Jax) is a leader in brand development, community building, marketing, and strategic partnerships. With a track record of driving growth and fostering innovation, she has worked with top clients like Soho House, YouTube, Bumble, and UBS.

Through Creative Duality, Jaclynn partners with YouTube in the U.S. and Canada on the Creator Collective initiative, empowering creators to thrive in the evolving creator economy thought community, connection, and collaboration. A content creator herself, Jaclynn shares insights on entrepreneurship, travel, fashion, and tech.

As Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Ayana Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Jaclynn is dedicated to supporting first-time women founders in building venture-scalable businesses. Ayana bridges the gap for women entrepreneurs by providing tools, resources, and mentorship, championing a future where entrepreneurship is accessible to all.

With over a decade of experience as a Creative Director for luxury fashion brands, Jaclynn excels as a personal brand strategist, partnerships connector, and event producer, helping brands and entrepreneurs reach new heights of success.

Jeff is the award-winning creator behind Chubby Diaries, a travel brand dedicated to inspiring plus-size travelers to explore the world without limits. As the host of Never Say Never with Jeff Jenkins on National Geographic, Jeff embraces adventure and encourages others to step out of their comfort zones. His work has been featured in major outlets like Forbes, Travel + Leisure, and The New York Times, cementing his influence in the travel industry. Known for his engaging storytelling and passion for accessibility and inclusion, Jeff’s content empowers people of all sizes to dream big and travel boldly. Jeff is a trailblazer in reshaping the narrative of who gets to experience the joys of travel.

Janette Roush leads the organization’s AI strategy and innovation initiatives to advance consumer promotion, trade and partner engagement to promote the United States as a premier travel destination.

She joined Brand USA from New York City Tourism + Conventions, where she oversaw the organization’s paid media strategy, programs and media insights to drive visitation across the five boroughs.

Her prior experience includes more than two decades marketing Broadway at Broadway.com and AKA, a global leader in entertainment advertising and strategy. She holds an MFA in Performing Arts Management from Brooklyn College.

A native of Kansas City, Missouri, Roush is a two-time Ironman, a LinkedIn Top Voice, an expert advisor for the European and US cohorts of the “AI Opener for Destinations” program and was named a 2024 Influential #Eventprof by Northstar Meetings Group.

The Overview Effect has companies in travel, sustainability, nature tech, education, and wellbeing, connected through a common ground of positive impact and equality. She began her career in 1999 by launching Asuaire, Costa Rica's premier tour operator. Asuaire holds the highest global accreditations including BCorp, Rainforest Alliance, and Carbon Neutrality and was a pioneer for establishing carbon neutrality certification with the government of Costa Rica. Cristina's work brings together communities, businesses, and governments on innovative reforestation and carbon projects.

A sought-after speaker on sustainability and economic development, Cristina has spoken at multiple UN events about innovation and sustainability. She serves on the Board of Directors for the non-profit Humans for Education, which educates women in Kenya to carry out and sustain small businesses to keep their children in school, besides building academic institutions for communities in Masai-Mara. Cristina also serves on the Board of Directors for the LAC Bridge chapter of EO and the organization's Global External Relations committee, working in partnership with organizations such as the UN and the World Bank.

Amra is a seasoned communications professional with more than 20 years of experience. In her first year at FCTG, Amra generated over 2,500 stories nationwide, utilizing data-driven storytelling to inspire leisure and corporate travel while shaping conversations nationwide.

As a trusted media spokesperson for FCTG, Amra provides insights on Canadian travel trends, preferences, and global developments impacting the travel landscape. With a history of executing impactful communication strategies, she has worked with global organizations such as Saudi Aramco, UNHCR, Messe Frankfurt, and iconic dating app brand Ashley Madison.

Her passion for discovery—shaped by travels to more than 35 countries—gives her a unique global perspective, allowing her to create messages that resonate across cultures and audiences.

Amra’s approach to storytelling combines creativity, purpose, and strategic focus. From managing crisis communications to building positive brand sentiment in competitive industries, she helps organizations define their voice, engage authentically, and leave a lasting impression.

Penny has led the association since it was established in January 2010. This collective voice of independently owned and operated lodges and camps helped shape and define Australia's high-end experiential travel. Penny is a director on the Board of Tourism Tasmania and serves on the inaugural Condé Nast Traveler Global Advisory Board. She is also a Mentor for The Conscious Travel Foundation and has served on the Virtuoso Sustainability Council 2022-2024.

Penny led the development of Tourism Australia’s Sustainability strategy March 2020 - August 2024, the aim of which is to advocate, educate and elevate the many sustainability legacy stories of Australian tourism, meeting and growing consumer demand, and encouraging industry capability. Penny led the development of Tourism Australia’s premium and luxury strategy 2017-2020.

Lasse has been at Havila Voyages for nearly three years. He has over 20 years of experience in travel, trade, and the transport industry, including, but not limited to, being Communications Advisor for the wholly-owned state-limited company Avinor, which owns and operates the majority of Norwegian airports, and Head of Communications for Vålerenga Football Club in Oslo.

TravelAbility's mission is to educate the travel industry about the need to make travel easier for people with disabilities and to provide access to the resources and services that will make the travel experience inclusive and more welcoming to everyone. Travelability is a one-stop hub for information, services, and innovations for any travel business that wants to become more welcoming and inclusive.

Sasha leads Google Maps disability inclusion projects, helping people worldwide find accessible places, transit, and walking routes. He is also a disability rights activist with the Elevator Action Group for New York City subway accessibility, and has appeared in the New York Times, West, Vital City, West Side Rag PBS and Vice News.

Kristy is a dynamic keynote speaker, passionate advocate, and leader in accessible travel. With an inspiring presence at events such as the National Tour Association and her role as the TravelAbility ambassador, Kristy has become a pivotal voice in the travel industry’s commitment to inclusivity. Not only the owner of Incredible Memories Travel, she is the founder of the Accessible Travel Network, an innovative resource connecting travel advisors and planners with the tools and expertise to serve travelers with diverse needs.

As a veteran and also the daughter, wife, and mother of military service members, Kristy embodies resilience and dedication. Her personal journey as a wheelchair user and the mother of three children with non-apparent disabilities fuels her mission to create awareness and champion equitable experiences for all travelers. Kristy’s unique perspective, combining personal and professional insights, inspires audiences to embrace accessibility as an opportunity for growth and transformation within the travel industry.

A native Oregonian and avid traveler, Allison brings more than 14 years of experience with Travel Oregon. Having worked across the global sales and communications teams, she currently leads the organization’s domestic consumer communications program. A strong advocate for inclusivity in travel, she is passionate about ensuring that Oregon’s stories inspire trips that are welcoming to all while driving economic prosperity for local communities. Allison actively engages with industry partners and media, leveraging her expertise in media relations and public relations to champion accessible tourism and highlight opportunities for more inclusive travel experiences.

Stephenie is a global citizen and woman on a mission to impact a billion lives by 2025 in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. As a serial entrepreneur traveling to 69 countries during her consulting career, she developed an application, WanderSafe, and invented the international award-winning Shakti and Beacon non-violent personal safety systems in 2017. However, in 2019, Stephenie had a near-death experience when she contracted Cerebral Malaria on a business trip to Nigeria, which radically changed her life. Due to complications from sepsis, she lost both of her feet and became a bilateral above-ankle osseointegrated amputee in 2021.

As an advocate for accessibility, she is one of the 100 Women of DAVOS at the WEF and the Changemaker for TheGlobalFund.org, which advocates for funding from governments, civil societies, and philanthropists to eradicate Malaria, HIV, and TB. She is a resilience expert, a TEDxSpeaker, and an award-winning advisor to travel companies in airports and Duty-Free.

Stephenie became Australia’s first female wheelchair fencer to compete internationally since 1960. As a para-athlete, her travel and competitions included the United Kingdom, France, Korea, Thailand, Poland, Greece, and Sao Paulo in 2024. During her earlier career in digital marketing, she founded Mighty Media Group in 2004. Her clients included travel companies such as Sydney International Airport, SSP – The Food Travel Experts, Club Med Asia Pacific, Oakwood Asia Hotels, Accolade Wines, Wonderful Pistachios, Camilla, Jamie Durie, JR/DutyFree, Allied Mills, and Lincoln Indicators.

As a member of the US Department of State's OSAC.gov Women in Security Council, her subject matter expertise on the impact of digital engagement in modern societies, Women in Leadership, resilience, start-ups, the power of mindset, surviving trauma, and the importance of personal safety and accessibility is second to none. Stephenie was named one of ten “Persons of the Year 2021” internationally recognized by The Moodie Davitt Report.

Generative AI has been hailed as the most disruptive innovation since the birth of the web. There are opportunities galore for content creators and brand marketers, but there are threats, too – not least in copyright. In his engaging keynote, Graham will explain how we can work with generative AI – exploiting all it has to offer – rather than be replaced by it.

Graham is a leading strategist and writer on the impacts of generative AI on human-made media. In a career spanning 40 years, Graham has been a journalist, editor, consultant, producer and entrepreneur with a keen interest in the future of media. He was a member of the team that launched Teletext Limited in the UK, becoming editor-in-chief of the world's biggest and most commercially successful information service of its kind. He was a founding director of Associated New Media, which went on to launch Mail Online and founder of media intelligence provider Lovelacemedia, sold to the Press Association in 2004 when he became PA’s head of marketing and strategy.

Graham worked as a journalist at the BBC, Visnews, BSB News, ITN, Channel 4 and PA, and is a Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program graduate. In addition to studying and writing about the impacts of generative AI in his widely acclaimed Substack newsletter Charting Gen AI, Graham advises media firms on their strategies and produces their corporate events.

Longwoods International is a premier market research consultancy specializing in travel and tourism. A 35-year industry veteran, Amir oversees all aspects of daily operations, thought leadership, product and business development, and partnerships for this recognized brand in tourism market research.

Amir joined Longwoods International in 2015 from his previous role as Vice President, Partner Engagement with Brand USA, the public-private partnership serving as the destination marketing organization dedicated to increasing international visitation to the US. He led the team responsible for helping to increase its partnership base and focused on exceeding service expectation for those partners. During his tenure, Brand USA grew its base from 15 to over 475 partners, comprised of destination marketing organizations, state tourism offices, attractions, hotels, travel brands, airlines, and tour operators.

Prior to Brand USA, Amir served as Director of the Ohio Office of Tourism. Under his leadership, the state's marketing programs realized a tremendous return on investment and contributed to the growth of the state's then $40 billion tourism economy. These successful marketing efforts were often cited as the basis for the program’s many awards and recognitions during his tenure. He has also served as President of the Ohio Hotel & Lodging Association, Assistant Director of the Ohio Tourism Division, and Sales & Marketing Manager with the Steuben County Conference and Visitors Bureau.

Amir is a regular speaker on market research and tourism at conferences and events around the country. His thoughts on the tourism industry and travel trends are often quoted in the media, and he has appeared in dozens of interviews among many national media outlets such as CNBC, MSNBC, Forbes, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times.

Amir has been recognized with a number of Industry honors, including Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales & Marketing award (2014) by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI); The Ohio Tourism Industry's Highest Honor, The Paul Sherlock Award; and The State of Ohio Distinguished Service Medal. He is an active member of many Travel Industry committees and task forces and currently serves on boards for the Destinations International Foundation and the U.S. Travel Association.

Amir holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Dayton and resides in Columbus, OH, with his wife and two children.

Erik is the Executive Vice President of Tourism Economics, a global tourism forecasting and quantitative analysis firm. At Tourism Economics, Erik developed and oversees SYMPHONY, a customized business intelligence platform designed to help destination marketing organizations (DMOs) quiet the noise of complex data, compose crystal-clear intelligence, and amplify the importance of destination sales and marketing to stakeholders.

Prior to joining Tourism Economics, Erik led the Philadelphia Convention & Visitor Bureau’s research department and currently serves on several national tourism-related boards and committees.

As the resident travel expert for Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo, Melanie tracks trends across destinations, hotels, and vacation rentals. She happily talks travel to media around the world with the help of PR pros in 18 countries who spot stories and put together travel facts sourced from Expedia Group’s wealth of data and technology.

Martinique is an award-winning diversity travel consultant, President of the Black Travel Alliance, Travel and leisure, and Travel Pulses '' Most Influential People in Travel.'' She is the host of National Geographic's ''Black Travel Across America'' and creator of The ABC Travel Greenbook and App, the number one resource connecting Black Travelers to destinations and the African Diaspora Globally.

Nick founded TravMedia in 1999 after ten years as travel editor of Courier Newspapers, Australia. His knowledge and contributions to the travel industry are extensive. Nick is a proud supporter of the SATW and sponsors the ONE Travel Conference Travel Writer Award for outstanding work in promoting US travel. He is an active member of the ASTW, a judge for the Gourmet Travel Annual Awards, and supports the British Guild of Travel Writers Awards and the ASTW Awards.

Nick created IMM 13 years ago, and The Summit 8 years ago. The platform also powers the online event marketplaces for IPW, Destination Canada’s Corroboree and ATE.

Gabe Hiatt is the Travel Editor for The Washington Post and a Casual Dining columnist. He was previously the editor of Eater DC, the sports editor of Washington Post Express and a reporter covering sports and food for The Post. He has also worked as a writer and video producer for NFL teams in Denver, Jacksonville and Washington.

Barry is the Global Editor for CNN Travel, supervising all travel-related content across CNN's platforms. Based in London, he helms a team of staff reporters and international freelancers, working closely with CNN Travel's teams in New York, Atlanta, Bangkok and Hong Kong.

Barry joined CNN in 2006, working for its digital news operations before switching to its Travel team in 2015. Prior to working at CNN he worked as a correspondent for the AFP news agency, reporting headline news stories from destinations including Afghanistan, Indonesia, China and Iraq.

Eliot is also the author of the new book Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, National Geographic, Wired, The Guardian, The Washington Post, CNN, The Independent, and elsewhere.

Amy is the editor of The New York Times’s travel coverage, with an emphasis on encouraging readers to explore the world thoughtfully, respectfully, and with a better understanding of various cultures. Her team is dedicated to equipping travelers with the tools they need to navigate the often complex travel industry. They focus on providing news that impacts travelers and offers inspiration to help readers discover the world’s beauty.

With an extensive background in journalism at publications such as The Village Voice and The Wall Street Journal, Amy has consistently demonstrated a passion for helping writers tell compelling stories. Throughout her career at The Times, she has held prominent editorial roles on the Culture and Metro desks, overseeing the weekly Metropolitan section and contributing to various publications and sections. Amy is a Tufts University graduate with a B.A. in philosophy and has furthered her expertise as a John S. Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University.

Rob is a regular contributor to the travel sections of Australia and New Zealand's leading newspapers and magazines. He's won six writing awards, including ASTW Travel Writer of the Year, and is an active Adventure Travel Trade Association member. Rob regularly speaks at travel events and has helped hundreds of aspiring travel writers, PR professionals and tourism operators through his writing courses.